Getting a degree in something I don't like.

[geezerman402]

Basically, presently ending first half of third year of University, planning for a double major in Geography and Environmental Studies. I decided on these two because at first I thought they would be interesting classes and I originally had some interest in Geography. But rather than my interest growing as the classes become more and more in-depth, it's waned. So now I go to classes I loathe, not due to the work involved, but because of the content.

As well, I've looked thoroughly at the careers I could get once I graduate with the double major, and I cannot see myself enjoying them, especially as a long term career. I feel as though what I'm doing right now is just pushing myself into something I won't love.

What would you do in a situation like mine? I need pointers. Really not sure what I even want at this point in life.

 

[NAIDANAC A]

I am currently in Computer Science, something I thought I would love and found out I don't want anything to do with it so this will be my last year. Next year I am off to trade school to become an electrician, it obviously isn't my first choice (would love to be one of the mechanics on a endurance racing team) but it is something I can see myself wanting to do.

Personally, I don't see why anyone should go for a degree in something they will loathe, I think life is too short and you should do something you at least enjoy a bit, or can stand.

 

[BlaRo]

Switch majors immediately. Life is too short to waste doing something you don't like.

I was in your position freshman year when I switched out of engineering, and now my Writing major is a better fit for me than engineering ever could have been. I was lucky to have switched out with time to spare, but at this point you should take a step back, reevaluate what your passions in life are, and figure out the best major to help you find a job that best fulfills those. Hell, maybe college isn't even a part of those plans.

Good luck.

 

[geezerman402]

A lot of it though, is I really have no clue what it is that I do want to do. So if I were to stop taking these classes... what would I be doing...

 

[BlaRo]

Take a semester off or something and figure out what you could do for a living that you would actually enjoy. I'm sure you would be able to find something.

 

[Dogbert]

A lot of it though, is I really have no clue what it is that I do want to do.

Well, lets start with an easy question; what do you enjoy doing?

 

[geezerman402]

Well, lets start with an easy question; what do you enjoy doing?

Haha, I've tried looking at what I like and what I could enjoy doing as work... but...

My hobby is cars, but becoming a mechanic doesn't seem like a viable solution anymore with how cars are becoming so heavily electronic.

I do however enjoy working with people, helping people, and basically some level of social activity.

I've always had this perfect vision of having a small shop or something... just the same as I've always seen my future as something very simple. I don't want or need vast fields of money. Makes me wish the concept of the past when a man could earn a living with any job...

 

[Dogbert]

My hobby is cars, but becoming a mechanic doesn't seem like a viable solution anymore with how cars are becoming so heavily electronic.

There's a lot more you could do with cars than just wrench on them. You could sell them, drive them, drive them fast, paint them, detail them...

I do however enjoy working with people, helping people, and basically some level of social activity.

Where do you live? Maybe taking some time off and joining MSF or something like the Peace Corps could put things into perspective.

 

[KaJuN]

It's funny how things have a way of working out. College and I weren't quite agreeing and the Air Force wasn't in my plans after high school but here I am and I'm happy with where I'm at. Be open-minded and you'll find something to suit you.

 

[ninjacoco]

Change majors, as others have said. I started off pre-law...now I think I want to do film.

Life's too short, etc. Other people beat me to it.

 

[geezerman402]

There's a lot more you could do with cars than just wrench on them. You could sell them, drive them, drive them fast, paint them, detail them...

Where do you live? Maybe taking some time off and joining MSF or something like the Peace Corps could put things into perspective.

*face palm* I could see myself selling cars... not sure how I'd ever be able to get paid to drive them though

In Canada by the way.

It's funny how things have a way of working out. College and I weren't quite agreeing and the Air Force wasn't in my plans after high school but here I am and I'm happy with where I'm at. Be open-minded and you'll find something to suit you.

So did you finish college, or drop it to enter the Air Force?

 

[geeman]

I am studying to be a software engineer, hopefully graduating next year. I chose this because it's something I though I liked. But same as you, I was about to give up around second year. I continued on though, mainly because of I didn't know what else I would like to do and a little bit of pressure from mom.

Cut to about year later I started to enjoy it again. Maybe it was because all the boring courses that had only vaguely to do with the actual job were over and school was more about how the job will actually be. I also realized that it's just a job. Not everyone gets to do for living what they 100% enjoy and if they do, there is a big chance that they won't enjoy it that much for long, because every job has those boring parts which you just have to do.

And again, in the end it's just a job. Enjoyment is not a requirement for a job, you just do it to get money. Also you can change professions later in life too.

 

[KaJuN]

So did you finish college, or drop it to enter the Air Force?

I got about halfway through and I plan on using the educational benefits to finish it up someday.

 

[Dogbert]

*face palm* I could see myself selling cars... not sure how I'd ever be able to get paid to drive them though

Hire driver (taxi, chauffeur, etc).

 

[Adunaphel]

I've been in the same situation. I switched majors twice. In the end I ended up with no degree and a huge loan. Luckily I was able to find a job I could start at the bottom end and quickly work my way up, so in the end most of it still worked out. I say just stick with the degree. In the end a degree is just a degree, it jut says you can learn stuff. From books, hardly any practical skills in most degrees. Lots of companies just require you to have a form of college degree, and let you start on one of their internal trainee programmes.

Enjoyment is not a requirement for a job, you just do it to get money.

Disagree there. It is very hard to get out of bed in the morning for a job you don't enjoy.

 

[Spectre]

Switch majors. Business is always a useful major, if nothing else.

I have a suspicion that "Environmental Studies" is about to become about as useful a degree as "Leisure Studies" and "Latin"....

 

[geeman]

Disagree there. It is very hard to get out of bed in the morning for a job you don't enjoy.

Yes, but you can still do a job that you don't fully enjoy. Not everybody can get a job they enjoy. Even if you have your dream job, I am sure you don't enjoy every day of it.
Maybe if you hate your job it's good idea to quit and switch to a job you can atleast tolerate.

What I meant was that the point of a job is not to enjoy it, the point is to make money. If you enjoy what you do, that's just a bonus.

 

[Dogbert]

If I had a choice between making little money doing something I loved, or a lot of money doing something I hated, I'd choose little money every time. So long as I could afford a warm, comfortable place to sleep for eight hours, and I enjoyed the eight hour span where I had to work... even if I'm not quite wealthy enough to really enjoy the rest of my free time, I think my days would be pretty alright.

Switch majors. Business is always a useful major, if nothing else.

And you'll be the butt of every other major's jokes.

 

[ashspet]

The degree I have has done bugger all for me. But ongoing study (either through my employer or off my own bat) has enabled me to develop skills I never thought I had. Why spend time and money on something you don't want to do. How about going to see a career counsellor. Universities have them, but they're also in the phone directory. There are also heaps of career tools on the web (just don't take them totally seriously, but good for coming up with ideas that might interest your further investigation). These days most people entering the workforce will have 10-15 different careers (not just jobs within the same career type). Where you start now is very unlikely where you end up, so don't look so much for the 'job for life' but try the 'job for right now'.

Try looking at Competency Based training courses where you get practical skills and a nationally recognised qualification. And you can usually get them quicker and more cheaply than a Uni degree. And here (in Oz) employers are liking them more and more as they are based in practical skills rather than the theoretical.

Just an idea.

 

[flydiscovery]

As someone who is tied up tighter than a trussed roast in a hellish career I hate, get the hell out while you can. I'm suck like this, doing something I'm NOT good at and don't like, for the rest of my life. Joy. GET OUT while you can.